(2020-03-31). Could oil really fall to $0? rt.com 
The outlook for US shale continues to darken with WTI testing sub-$20 territory. The supply glut could grow worse as the contraction in demand continues to deepen. | On Sunday, President Trump extended the social distancing guidelines through the end of April, retreating from his plan to "open up" the economy by Easter. And before the ink was even dry on the $2 trillion stimulus, Congress has already started preparing the fourth emergency coronavirus legislation. As of now, 193 million people in the US and a staggering 2.3 billion people worldwide are living under some sort of lockdown order, according to Raym…
(2020-03-31). Workers strike over safety failures; progressives hatch plans for next stimulus. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—From Sara Nelson to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, from the Economic Policy Institute to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, progressive leaders and groups are hatching ambitious plans for measures they insist should be in the government's next economic stimulus bill to deal with the coronavirus pandemic's impact. And this time, they declare they won't accept a business-heavy measure …
(2020-03-31). Right-Wing Media Joined Trump in Enabling Health Disaster. fair.org 
"If Hitler succeeds in pointing the way of peace and order and an ethical development which has been destroyed throughout the world by war, he will have accomplished a measure of good not only for his own people but for all humanity."—William Randolph Hearst (New York Times, The downplaying of the coronavirus by the right-wing press in the United States was preceded decades ago by the media owned by William Randolph Hearst enabling a different sort of toxicity by promoting a positive image of Nazism in the US.
(2020-03-31). Taliban team arrives in Kabul for 1st time since 2001, will monitor prisoner release — spokesman. rt.com 
A three-member Taliban technical team arrived in the Afghan capital on Tuesday to monitor the release of their prisoners, a spokesman for the insurgent group said. The move is part of a peace deal signed by the Taliban and the US. | Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the team's arrival in a tweet. It marked the first time a Taliban delegation has been in Kabul since the group was driven out by the US-led coalition in November 2001, AP said. | US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday praised the Afghan government negotiating team that was identified to hold talks with the Taliban as appearing to…
(2020-03-31). Trump, Erdogan speak by phone, 'stress need' for ceasefires in Syria & Libya. rt.com 
US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan underlined on Tuesday the need for ceasefires in Syria and Libya during the coronavirus pandemic, the White House said. The two spoke by phone on efforts to "defeat the virus and bolster the global economy," according to its statement. | They "agreed it is more important now than ever for countries in conflict, particularly Syria and Libya, to adhere to ceasefires and work toward resolution," it said. | Syria's government has so far reported only a handful of Covid-19 cases. Health experts warn that the country, torn apart by years of c…
(2020-03-31). #EndCOVIDSanctions Coalition Applauds Members of Congress for Call to Suspend Iran Sanctions. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-03-31). After Securing Corporate Bailout, Trump and GOP Largely Oppose New Stimulus. truthout.org Having secured a multi-trillion-dollar bailout fund for large corporations and minimal relief for the public as the U.S. economy reels from the coronavirus crisis, the White House and Republican leaders in Congress are already throwing cold water on the prospect of a fourth stimulus bill that
(2020-03-31). Many immigrants left out of pandemic aid acts. fightbacknews.org San José, CA – Many immigrants won't be able to get help from the bipartisan COVID-19 pandemic aid bills passed by Congress and signed by President Trump. More than 4 million undocumented immigrants who are paying taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, will not qualify for the $1200 per person benefit because they have no Social Security number. Another 5 million American citizen children with undocumented parents also will not get the $500 per child benefit. | Legal immigrants and naturalized citizens tend to have lower incomes than native-born Americans. People whose income is low en…
(2020-03-31). Congress "CARES" for Wealthy With COVID-19 Tax Giveaways. commondreams.org Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin attend a meeting in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 20, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-03-31). 400,000 Call on Congress to Freeze Rent/Mortgage/Utility Payments for American Families. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-03-31). Bob Dylan's Midnight Message to JFK's Ghost. dissidentvoice.org For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak with most miraculous organ. — Hamlet On May 1, 1962, President John Kennedy was meeting in the Oval Office with a group of Quakers who were urging him to do more for peace and disarmament. As he kept explaining the great political opposition he was facing within …
(2020-03-31). UN Regrets Lack of Progress in Middle East Peace. telesurenglish.net UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov on Monday said he regretted the lack of progress on the ground, expressing concern over Israeli settlements and its plans to annex Palestinian land. | RELATED: | The expansion of Israeli settlements continues to pose a significant obstacle to achieving a viable two-state solution, Mladenov told the Security Council via video teleconference…
(2020-03-31). Peace is the New Priority for Planet Earth after CoVid19 Crisis. indybay.org For decades Peace activists have been clamoring that the misplaced US priority on Militarism (wasting Trillions of dollars and narrowly focusing on imagined foreign enemies and/or real terrorists spawned by US policies) will decisively harm the health of citizens and the Planet itself. Sadly, 60 years after President Eisenhower warned of the danger of the Military Industrial Complex overshadowing the health and welfare of our society, the Peace agenda is still being sidelined to near extinction, both by the political ruling elite of Pentagon-Wall Street hucksters, and the compliant mainstream media outlets.
(2020-03-31). First Person: Humankind's 'modern mentality to tame' the environment: A volcanologist's view. news.un.org The 17 goals agreed by the global community to reduce poverty and create a sustainable planet are the responsibility of all people, wherever they are in the world, according to the United Nations. The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs represent a boundary-pushing blueprint for the future of the Earth and it's anticipated they will be realized by 2030. UN News joined the International Labour Organization on a visit to Hawaii where many people are already living or studying aspects of the goals in their everyday work.
(2020-03-31). "It Shattered My Life": Former Joe Biden Staffer Tara Reade Says He Sexually Assaulted Her in 1993. democracynow.org 
In an exclusive Democracy Now! TV/radio broadcast, we speak with Tara Reade, the former staffer in Joe Biden's Senate office who has come forward with allegations that Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993. Last week, The Intercept reported that the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, set up to help survivors of rape and sexual assault, refused to fund a #MeToo investigation into allegations against Biden. Reade told journalist Katie Halper in an interview published Tuesday that Biden repeatedly touched her without her consent and sexually assaulted her. Reade approached the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund in January looki…
(2020-03-31). Trump, Erdogan Stress Need for Ceasefire in Syria, Libya During COVID-19 Pandemic – White House. sputniknews.com In January, an international conference on Libya took place in the German capital, counting Russia, the United States, the European Union, Turkey, and Egypt among its participants. The sides agreed to a ceasefire and for third parties not to be involved in the conflict.
(2020-03-31). EU launches Libya military mission. yenisafak.com EU foreign ministers approved on Tuesday the launch of a new military mission, Operation IRINI, to monitor the UN arms embargo on Libya.The new mission will operate in the air, sea, and through satellites to ensure that all countries respect the ban on providing arms for the parties involved in the Libyan conflict."Even in the time of coronavirus, the EU shows determination to promote peace on our neighborhood," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell pointed out at a press conference on Tuesday.The EU forces will also watch for the illegal oil exports, prevent human trafficking and contribute to the training of th…
(2020-03-30). Congresswoman with 'presumed coronavirus infection' was on House floor & next to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (PHOTO). rt.com 
Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-New York) announced she may have a presumed case of Covid-19, which could put many other members of Congress at risk, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. | Velázquez said in a statement on Monday that she reached out to the House attending physician on Sunday after feeling "the abrupt onset of muscle aches, fevers, nasal congestion and stomach upset," all symptoms other positive coronavirus victims have reported. She had also lost her sense of smell and taste. | After hearing the congresswoman's symptoms, the physician diagnosed her with a "presumed coronavirus infect…
(2020-03-30). As transit systems shut down workers battle virus and job loss. peoplesworld.org 
SILVER SPRING, Md.—As transit systems nationwide cut down trips, mothball buses and close stations to help combat the coronavirus pandemic nationwide, the nation's mass transit workers face two threats. One is lack of a paycheck, something the $2 trillion anti-coronavirus economic package now moving through Congress is supposed to at least partially counteract, through expansion …
(2020-03-30). Trump threatens to 'take over' San Francisco from 'sick puppy' Pelosi in fiery reply to her Covid-19 response bashing. rt.com 
President Donald Trump slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on 'Fox and Friends,' suggesting the federal government could take over her "slum" district San Francisco, as the two locked horns on the coronavirus pandemic response. | "Look, she's a sick puppy in my opinion," the president said when asked about Pelosi criticizing his response to the coronavirus outbreak. "She really is. She's got a lot of problems." | Trump continued his fuming against Pelosi later when he slammed her for "playing the impeachment game" and being controlled by "the radical left," including freshman New York Congresswoman and Green Ne…
(2020-03-30). US Accused of Using Food Aid to Smuggle Weapons to Militants in Syria's Rukban Refugee Camp. mintpressnews.com UN aid trucks, according to Russian military sources, are being used to deliver not only food and supplies to the suffering civilians but also arms and ammunition to Maghawir Al-Thawra.
(2020-03-30). 'Immediate nationwide ceasefire' needed for all-out effort to counter COVID-19 in Syria. news.un.org Syria is at "high risk" of being unable to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Special Envoy for the country said on Monday, reiterating calls for a "complete, immediate nationwide ceasefire" to enable an all-out-effort to counter the march of the new coronavirus.
(2020-03-30). A Citizens' Call to Invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment. counterpunch.org Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the
(2020-03-30). Washington Uses the Pandemic to Create a $2 Trillion Slush Fund for Its Cronies. counterpunch.org When historians look back on our current government's response to a public health emergency and resultant economic depression, there won't be many paeans to profiles in courage. It may seem impressive that Congress has approved legislation worth $2 trillion to help sustain the American economy, but it's no New Deal. Rather it's a massive economic slush fund
(2020-03-30). Tom Perez Put Corporate Lobbyists in Charge of the DNC's Budget. truthout.org This article was produced by Last week, Mike Bloomberg transferred the leftover $18 million from his presidential campaign to the Democratic National Committee to use in the general election — over 23 times the maximum amount tha…
(2020-03-30). 'Now isn't the Time to Do That': US Congressman Again Slams Hillary Clinton Over Her Trump Jab. sputniknews.com On Friday, Hillary Clinton shared a recent report from The New York Times about the US now leading the world in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, tweeting that President Trump "did promise 'America First'".
(2020-03-30). Daesh prisoners riot at YPG/PKK-run prison in Syria. yenisafak.com Daesh/ISIS prisoners have staged a rebellion at prison run by the YPG/PKK terror group in northeastern Syria in protest of their conditions, according to local sources on Monday. | The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the rebellion took place on Sunday at the YPG/PKK-run prison in Geweran district in Al-Hasakah province. | The rebellion was quashed with the support of a U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition, the sources said. | A number of Daesh/ISIS prisoners were reportedly injured in the riot. | At least 4,500 Daesh terrorists from 54 countries are held in the prison.
(2020-03-29). Has America reached its endgame in Afghanistan? mronline.org 
In an extraordinary statement titled "On the Political Impasse in Afghanistan," Washington has admitted to the failure of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's mission to Kabul on March 23, which was taken up to heal the political rift among Afghan politicians and to urge them to form an inclusive government so as to implement the …
(2020-03-29). Trump Announces Plan to Refuse Congressional Oversight of Corporate Bailout. truthout.org Progressive lawmakers on Friday evening denounced President Donald Trump's intention to disregard provisions in the just-passed coronavirus relief bill that would provide crucial oversight of $500 billion in taxpayer money already poised to be a "Wall Street slush fund." | "This is unacceptable," Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) t.co/QsP9dsR3kT | — David Sirota (@davidsirota)
(2020-03-29). First Person: Hawaii's 'silver tsunami': the challenge of caring for kupuna elders. news.un.org The International Labour Organization (ILO) marked its centenary in 2019 and as part of the commemoration launched a photography project called "Dignity at Work: The American Experience" to document the working life of people across the United States. UN News joined the ILO on a visit to the US state of Hawaii.
(2020-03-29). Mauna Kea Isn't Just About a Telescope, It's About Who Will Decide the Future. truthout.org "You must remember, never cease to act because you fear you may fail…" —Queen Lili'uokalani | "The mountain brought us together," Luana Busby-Neff tells me. It's 200 days into the prayer vigil and blockade that brought the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) to a stop in Hawaii. The 14th giant telescope in Hawaii has been met with major resistance. | Busby-Neff is one of the Kapuna, or elders, who was arrested in July 2019 for protesting the construction of the TMT. This is the first m…
(2020-03-28). Vigil for Peace in Yemen, a New Norm. dissidentvoice.org 
For the past three years, several dozen New Yorkers have gathered each Saturday at Union Square, at 11: 00 a.m. to vigil for peace in Yemen. Now, however, due to the coronavirus, the vigil for peace is radically altered. Last week, in recognition of the city's coming shelter in place program, participants were asked to hold …
(2020-03-28). Media Silent as Poll Workers Contract Covid-19 at Primaries That DNC, Biden Campaign Claimed Were Safe. fair.org 
Donald Trump is the
(2020-03-28). COVID-19: UN envoy hails strong Israel-Palestine cooperation. news.un.org Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has praised the coordination between the Israeli and Palestine authorities in reacting to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(2020-03-28). When death dealers make ventilators, we know it's time to end the arms trade. thecanary.co Peace activists might be relieved to hear that UK arms companies are Meanwhile, arms company Babcock is working with a medical equipment company to make thousands of ventilators. Babcock is now seemingly concerned with saving lives, rather t…
(2020-03-28). 'Unacceptable': Dems Fume After Trump Announces Plan to Refuse Congressional Oversight of Corporate Bailout Funds. commondreams.org "This is a frightening amount of public money to have given a corrupt administration with zero accountability." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2020-03-28). Coronavirus hastens an Arab rapprochement. iranian.com The phone call by the UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday signifies in many ways a major development in regional politics. The official UAE news agency WAM modestly placed the UAE initiative "within the framework of Sheikh Mohamed's contacts to follow up the humanitarian conditions in sisterly …
(2020-03-27). Lots of cash, including pro-worker cash; very little pro-worker policy. peoplesworld.org 
WASHINGTON—The $2.2 trillion coronavirus economic impact bill Congress President Donald Trump says he will sign contains a lot of pro-worker cash — and very little pro-worker policy. It wasn't for lack of trying, at least by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. She produced an alternative with the same spending — but festooned with pro-worker sections. …
(2020-03-27). U.S. Is #1 in Pandemic: Rep. Omar Blasts Trump for "Wrong Kind of American Exceptionalism" democracynow.org 
As much of the United States is under lockdown, the House votes today on a $2 trillion emergency relief package to address the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. It will generate payments to most Americans and includes protections for workers, but it is also a massive bailout for a number of industries and corporations, and the vote comes as a record 3.28 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits. We speak with Congressmember Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, the first Somali American elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and one of the first Muslim women in Congress, about the bill, Trump's response t…
(2020-03-27). US Congress approves $2.2 trillion stimulus bill, sends to White House. rt.com 
The US House has approved the mammoth $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed earlier this week by the Senate, sending the long-awaited relief package to President Donald Trump's desk for signing. | The bill sailed through the House with a voice vote despite an attempt by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) to force a roll-call poll. The pressing need to distribute immediate aid to individual Americans and small businesses starved for cash by coronavirus-related shutdowns appeared to override legislators' objections to various controversial provisions included in the massive legislative package. | Trump is…
(2020-03-27). "Total System Failure": Congress Pushes $2 Trillion Pandemic Bill. Will Dems Allow "Corporate Coup"? democracynow.org 
We continue our look at the massive $2 trillion coronavirus relief package — the largest stimulus bill in U.S. history — with author Matt Stoller, who argues the country will be unrecognizable after this pandemic if big corporations walk away with trillions of dollars and no strings attached. Stoller is research director at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of the book "Goliath: The 100-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy." His recent column for The Guardian is headlined "The coronavirus relief bill could turn into a corporate coup if we aren't careful."
(2020-03-27). Bailouts for the Rich, the Virus for the Rest of Us. counterpunch.org For the second time in a generation, the President and Congress are creating an economy under the guise of 'saving the economy.' Through bailouts for the executives of corporations and institutions whose coffers have been emptied for their own personal enrichment, a corporate kleptocracy is having its class power secured. And through token payments and
(2020-03-27). Peacekeeping radio stations provide COVID-19 information to vulnerable communities in conflict-affected countries. news.un.org UN Peacekeeping radio stations have in recent decades helped build support for peace process in a dozen countries around the world including Cambodia, Croatia, Namibia and Timor-Leste.
(2020-03-27). Migrants in Hawaii care for the elderly, the aloha way. news.un.org Migrants are playing an increasingly important role in the provision of health care around the world. The number of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who move from developing countries to take up posts in developed countries is expected to rise as the global population of older persons and children continues to grow.
(2020-03-26). Bernie Sanders Fights for Laid-off Worker Protections in $2 Trillion Stimulus with Corporate Bailout. democracynow.org 
The Senate unanimously approved a historic $2.2 trillion emergency relief package late Wednesday night to battle the unprecedented economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic. ‚Ä®‚Ä®The House will consider the bill Friday before it goes to President Trump's desk to be signed into law. ‚Ä®‚Ä®The bill would massively expand unemployment benefits, providing laid-off workers up to 100% of their salary and health insurance benefits for four months. Vermont senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders successfully fought to strengthen the bill's assistance…
(2020-03-26). Headlines for March 26, 2020. democracynow.org Senate Approves Historic $2.2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Package, Republican Sen. John Thune Misses Vote on Coronavirus Bailout Due to Illness, New York City Hospitals Set Up Makeshift Morgues as COVID-19 Deaths Multiply, U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Top 1,000 as Louisiana Cases Soar, Pittsburgh Sanitation Workers Hold Wildcat Strike, Demanding Safety Gear, COVID-19 Claims Playwright Terrence McNally, Chef Floyd Cardoz and Fashionista Jenny Polanco, World Health Organization Urges Dramatic Action as Global Coronavirus Cases Near 500,000, Italy's COVID-19 Infection Rate Slows as Spain's Death Toll Surpasses China's, I…
(2020-03-25). Calls Grow for Sen. Burr to Resign After He Sold $1.7 Million in Stocks & Downplayed COVID-19 Risks. democracynow.org 
Calls are growing for Republican Senator Richard Burr to resign after he reportedly sold up to $1.7 million worth of stocks after receiving privileged briefings about the coronavirus's threat to the global economy. ProPublica reports Burr, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, unloaded his holdings on February 13 in 33 separate transactions. At the time, he had access to classified information about the coronavirus and was receiving daily intelligence briefings. The stock market began plummeting a week after Burr's sales and has since lost about 30% of its value. We speak with Derek Willis of ProPublica…
(2020-03-25). Headlines for March 25, 2020. democracynow.org Senate and White House Reach Agreement on $2 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill, NY Governor Blasts Trump's Coronavirus Response, Asking "Where Are the Ventilators?", Two Georgia Medical Workers Die of COVID-19 Amid Critical Shortage of Protective Gear, California Seeks to Add 50,000 Hospital Beds Ahead of COVID-19 Peak, Washington to Inspect Nursing Homes After 37 Die of Coronavirus at Life Care Center, Minnesota Lt. Gov.'s Brother Dies of COVID-19; Sen. Klobuchar's Husband Hospitalized, Defying Medical Advice, Trump Calls for Return to Normal and "Packed Churches" on Easter Sunday, U.S. Immigration Agencies Quara…
(2020-03-24). Economist Jeffrey Sachs: Trump "Understands Nothing, Listens to Nothing" as Pandemic Surges in U.S. democracynow.org 
As #NotDying4WallStreet trends on Twitter, President Trump defies his top scientists and soaring infection rate, saying he will ease restrictions soon to jumpstart the economy. We speak with economist Jeffrey Sachs about the stimulus package that failed to pass again Monday, as Democrats called the measure a slush fund for corporations. Sachs also led the WHO's Commission on Macroeconomics and Health from 2000 to 2001 and played a key role in conceiving and establishing the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which helped distribute new medicines to fight infectious diseases.
(2020-03-23). Headlines for March 23, 2020. democracynow.org Global COVID-19 Death Toll Passes 15,000 as Italy Drafts Military to Enforce Lockdown, Angela Merkel to Self-Quarantine After Her Doctor Tests Positive for COVID-19, First COVID-19 Cases Reported in Occupied Gaza, War-Stricken Syria and Afghanistan | , Coronavirus Cases Mount Across Africa, Two Nigerians Overdose Self-Medicating with Chloroquine After Trump Praised Anti-Malaria Drug as Possible COVID-19 Treatment, Coronavirus Leads to Lockdowns, Travel Bans in Latin America, as a Colombian Prison Riot Turns Deadly | , Fate of Tokyo Olympics Still Unknown as Canada, Australia Refuse to Send Athletes | , India Lock…
